By Prince Osuagwu
Frontline ride-hailing platform, Bolt, is constantly re-enforcing safety measures on its app to reassure its Nigerian and African riders that negative experiences often associated with ride hailing business will not be witnessed in its platform.
The reassurance came as the tech company shared exciting improvements on its safety strategies at a summit in Lagos, where all stakeholders including, riders, drivers and the general public shared experiences and safety nuggets, including how to nip some ugly experiences relating to ride hailing business in the bud.
The summit, which followed a dedicated Safety Press Briefing earlier in the day, brought together stakeholders from government, law enforcement, civil society, media, and the Bolt rider community.
The event highlighted Bolt’s ongoing investments in technology, driver education, and platform integrity, while providing a unique platform for open dialogue with riders on safety expectations and shared responsibilities in urban mobility.
Briefing the media
During a media briefing to unveil the latest innovations, Bolt shared recent progress in key safety metrics. The platform recorded a 42% reduction in offline trips in the last 3 months, indicating greater usage of in-app safety tools due to some improvements in the overall safety measures.
In addition, there was a 298% increase in the use of the Trusted Contacts feature, which grew from 7,839 users in January to 31,216 in June. The Pick-Up Code feature also gained traction, with 5,568 riders in Nigeria enabling it.
Speaking at the event, Osi Oguah, General Manager, Bolt Nigeria said: “At Bolt, safety is not just a feature, it’s fundamental to the service we provide. We are consistently investing in tools and partnerships that prioritize the well-being of our users. The Public Safety Summit represents a major step forward in how we engage with our riders. It will be a rider-first platform to listen, learn, and collaborate on new ways to make our services even safer and more responsive.”
Ride Hailing Security And Accountability
The Summit convened a diverse audience, including public safety experts, policymakers, and everyday platform users, to co-develop ideas and explore long-term strategies for ride-hailing security and accountability.
Bolt emphasized that the summit marks a new chapter in community-driven innovation, with a focus on transparency, safety education, and continuous dialogue with users. The initiative also aligns with Bolt’s broader vision to elevate safety standards in Africa’s ride-hailing sector.
Bolt is a mobility company that offers ride-hailing, micromobility rental, food and grocery delivery, and car-sharing services. The company was founded in 2013 by Markus Villig, then a 19 year-old high-school student. Bolt is headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia and operates in over 450 cities in more than 45 countries in Europe, Africa, Western Asia and Latin America. The company has more than 100 million customers globally and more than 3 million partners use Bolt’s platforms to offer rides and deliveries to customers.
Ride-hailing
Bolt offers a ride-hailing service that competes with Uber, Taxify and InDrive among others. The company’s drivers use their own vehicles to provide rides to customers. The company offers a number of features that make it more convenient for customers, such as the ability to pay with cash or a credit card.
Micromobility rental
In some markets, Bolt offers a micromobility rental service that allows customers to rent electric scooters and bicycles. The company’s scooters and bicycles are available in over 200 cities, and Bolt offers a number of features that make it more convenient for customers, such as the ability to unlock scooters and bicycles with a smartphone app.
Food and grocery delivery
Bolt offers a food and grocery delivery service that allows customers to order food and groceries from local restaurants and stores. The company’s delivery drivers use their own vehicles to deliver food and groceries to customers. Bolt’s prices are typically lower than traditional food delivery services, and the company offers a number of features that make it more convenient for customers, such as the ability to track the progress of their delivery in real time.
Car-sharing
Bolt offers a car-sharing service that allows customers to rent cars by the hour or day. The company’s cars are available in over 100 cities, and Bolt offers a number of features that make it more convenient for customers, such as the ability to unlock cars with a smartphone app.
Bolt’s mission is to make urban transportation more affordable, convenient, and sustainable. The company is committed to providing its customers with a safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly transportation option. Bolt is also committed to working with cities to develop sustainable transportation solutions.
The post How Bolt’s safety measures dropped offline trips by 42% in 3 months appeared first on Vanguard News.
